1. Technical Field
The present invention relates generally desktop accessories, and more particularly to a planning and organizational aid for the desktop.
2. Background Art
Various items and implements normally associated with working at a desk include pens, pencils, paper clips, notepads, adhesive-backed notes, push pins, rubber bands, and the like. Such items and implements are hereinafter referred to as “desktop items.”
Systems for organizing and holding desktop items have been proposed, as evidenced by the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,298 to Polhemus et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,570,793 to O'Neil et al.; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,176,743 to Fitzpatrick. These patents disclose modular and reconfigurable organizing systems. The patents to Polhemus and Fitzpatrick also disclose the use of day calendars in conjunction with such systems. However, none of these patents suggests the concept of joining a desk pad or supplementary work surface to an organizing system. Thus, the systems disclosed in these patents are somewhat limited in utility.
Desk pads and supplementary work surfaces (i.e., supplementary to the desktop) have been propose, as evidenced by the following U.S. patents: U.S. Pat. No. 5,154,498 to Slater; U.S. Pat. No. 5,123,191 to Kim; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,022,170 to House. The patents to Slater and House disclose the concept of including an organizing tray (for desktop items) along with a supplementary work surface; and Kim discloses the use of a calendar desk pad which also serves as a work surface. However, these patents fail to recognize the utility of joining a desk organizing tray with a desk pad. Also, the organizing trays in Slater and House are built into the work surface, thus selection of a particular desk pad for use with the trays is impossible. The term “desk pad,” as used herein means a writing pad or tablet large enough to also serve as a supplementary work surface.
Wall-mount systems that juxtapose wire-bound calendars with organizing trays have been employed, as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 5,948,498 to Bianco et al. However, such systems would not be suitable for desktop applications, because they do not present a large enough work surface. In addition, the calendar is not fixedly connected to the organizing tray, thus each component could be separated and displaced.